Italian Salad Recipe

Italian Salad

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

Firm, plump, rosy-red tomatoes with a slight acidity are perfect for my Italian salad. Topped with a soft ball of buffalo mozzarella, home-pressed basil pesto, lemon-marinated artichokes, juicy olives, thinly sliced salami and a fresh grind of black pepper. The result is many sensational flavours. A real wow! 

Hand pressed Basil Pesto

Yields : about 400 – 500 ml

Ingredients :

70 g Fresh Basil

100 g Pine Nuts or Pine Kernels (chef’s note : Flaked Almonds can be substituted as a more reasonable alternative and they taste just as delicious!)

60 g salted Butter (chef’s note : gives the Pesto a thicker consistency)

250 ml Olive Oil

25 g Garlic

100 g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino

Salt and Pepper

Method :

1) Place basil, butter, olive oil, garlic and grated parmesan into a liquidiser

2) Roast and slightly cool the pine nuts (chef’s note : roast nuts just before adding to the other ingredients to ensure a fresh roasted flavour) 

3) Add the nuts to the liquidiser and liquidise until the correct consistency is reached

Salad

Yields : 4

Ingredients :

4 medium (550g) Tomato

10 ml Maldon Salt (chef’s note : or any good quality salt)

16 slices (100g) Salami

16 Olives

7 pieces (60g) Artichokes quarters

3 sprigs Fresh Basil

1 round Buffalo Mozzarella (chef’s note : substitute with slices of cow’s mozzarella)

Fresh grind Black Pepper

Home-pressed Basil Pesto to taste

Method :

1) Slice the tomatoes, add the salt and place onto a platter

2) Then add all the other ingredients and plate creatively as per the picture

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron 
Head Chef 
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713